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The California State University Board of Trustees keeps teaching students that their voices nor their health matter. While the board voted in favor of an executive compensation policy that gave CSU presidents a 3 percent salary raise, students continue to dig for loose change in their jean pockets to afford their education and to simply pay for food.

Being a student can feel overwhelming when we get stacked on with the responsibility of paying more than what our pockets can afford. In a research conducted with college students, evidence demonstrated that students sacrifice their food budgets first to make ends meet. Between 21 percent and 52 percent of CSU students experience food insecurity including nutritional deficits. Additionally, one in every 12 students live in unstable housing situations. So if the trustees know we are facing these challenges, why do they continue to approve raises for top officials?

Students keep protesting for our funds, only to be ignored and constantly face the need for money. Do they realize how difficult it is becoming for more of us to earn our degrees? On the contrary, faculty advise that the salary is beneficiary to presidents since running a college is like running a small town. But why are administrators receiving the funds when the students and teachers are the ones making a name for CSU schools on a day-to-day basis.

Graduation rates and higher academic scores wouldn’t be as high if students and professors weren’t committed to learning and teaching. This is why students many students prioritize school over basis needs like taking care of our mental and physical health. Many students, including myself, skip certain meals throughout the week just to keep up with the workload that college puts on our shoulders. While we’re here at Chico State to learn, many of us are finding ourselves one step closer to facing food insecurities or homelessness.

As one of the many students who face food insecurities, I can tell you that waiting for my next paycheck and digging in my laundry in hopes to find a few loose dollars can be quiet disappointing. I also don’t appreciate that presidents are receiving all the credit for running a college, when in reality students and professors are the ones who run as officials or become founders of organizations.

If there’s enough money to give most of the CSU presidents a salary increase there should be more money set aside to assist students who are mentally and physically struggling to get an education.